The Heartbreak Lounge by Wallace Stroby Page B

staying?”
    â€œFor now.”
    â€œYou had contact?”
    â€œWith Johnson. In Newark. I just came from there.”
    â€œWhat about Joey?”
    â€œTomorrow. Lindell’s setting it up.”
    â€œHe’s screening you.”
    â€œMaybe.”
    â€œWhere’s the meeting?”
    â€œI don’t know. Maybe the place on Twenty-Two.”
    â€œThe porn shop? He hasn’t been there in weeks.”
    â€œThat’s what Johnson told me. Said Joey’s been keeping a low profile.”
    â€œThat’s a laugh. Low profile? It isn’t in his personality.”
    â€œI’ll call you afterward.”
    â€œBe careful,” Connor said. “You can’t trust either of them. Keep your eyes open. Look and listen. How you doing on cash?”
    â€œI could use some more. A grand doesn’t go very far.”
    â€œI’ll see what I can do. Might take a few days.”
    â€œWhat about that other thing?”
    â€œI’m working on it. I told you.”
    â€œI’m worried you’re not properly motivated.”
    â€œYou start showing me results, John, and I’ll get motivated.”
    â€œThat wasn’t the deal. I told you I wanted one thing out of this. That hasn’t changed.”
    A pause on the line.
    â€œI’m expecting some news soon. It’s tough. Records are sealed, there’s privacy issues involved.”
    â€œBut you can do it?”
    â€œI can do it.”

    â€œGood, because if you can’t, if you’re jerking me around, then the whole thing’s off. I vanish and you’re on your own.”
    â€œDon’t talk foolish, John. You already owe me. You want to go back to Glades?”
    â€œYou know the deal. You know what we agreed.”
    â€œI told you. I’m on it.”
    â€œThen make it happen. When I call you tomorrow, I’ll more than likely have something for you. You should have something for me.”
    He hung up.

10
    â€œNFW,” Harry said. “No fucking way.”
    They were in Ray’s office, bright sun pouring through the window.
    â€œYou’re the one went chasing after her,” Ray said.
    â€œI learn from my mistakes.”
    â€œShe called me again. She has a valid situation there. You said so yourself. And we might be able to help her.”
    â€œSend Errol.”
    â€œShe wants you.”
    â€œWhy?”
    â€œShe says she liked the way you handled yourself.”
    â€œBullshit.”
    â€œNo.” Ray raised a hand. “God’s honest. That’s what she said.”
    â€œThen that makes no goddamn sense at all. Did she tell you she pulled a gun on me? That I had to take it away from her?”
    â€œShe alluded to that, yes.”
    Harry got up from the chair, went to the window, looked out.
    â€œExplain this,” he said.
    â€œWhat’s there to explain? She wants to contract with us. She wants you to be the point man. Client’s request. You won’t be solo on this, but she insists you stay in the picture.”
    Harry looked at him.
    â€œWhat’s going on behind the scenes here? What hasn’t she told us? And what am I supposed to do for her anyway?”
    Ray shrugged.
    â€œAs far as what she isn’t telling us, I don’t know.
Maybe nothing. But I’ve been giving quite a bit of thought to what we can do for her. And the first thing is to go down to that agency, talk to some people there. Let them know the situation.”
    â€œShe couldn’t do that herself?”
    â€œShe could, but it’ll bring more weight to bear if we’re there with her. They’ll be more inclined to listen, get a sense of the gravity of the situation.”
    â€œWhich I’m still not convinced of myself.”
    â€œThe woman’s worried. That part’s real, regardless of whatever else may be going on. Even if we just look into it a little, convince her there’s no reason to be worried, then